Perch Lake

How big is Perch Lake?

How deep is Perch Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Perch Lake?

What are the closest cities to Perch Lake?

Are there boat launches on Perch Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Perch Lake?

The natural character of Perch Lake's immediate shoreline has been essentially protected through the years. The few (but increasing) cabins are generally set back far enough from the lake so as not to be highly visible to users of the lake. The lake has a pristine character in every respect except for its water quality.

Water quality was apparently not an issue in Perch Lake before the mid 1960s. In fact, rainbow trout were initially stocked by the DNR in 1962. Trout require cool, well oxygenated water to survive. While the lake was not large enough to support hugh numbers of fish, creel survey data indicated that trout were growing and being caught in amounts sufficient to stimulate angler interest. This was apparently an improvement over the previous warmwater fish community that provided few angling opportunities.

Documents show that in 1966, Perch Lake's watershed was expanded to include the marsh just north of the lake. This allowed nutrient input to a lake with no outlet, beginning a decline in water quality. By 1972, Perch Lake could no longer sustain rainbow trout and began to winterkill frequently.

The lake's fish community subsequently converted to species that are able to survive low dissolved oxygen and high turbidity. Black bullhead and yellow perch were the only two species shown to be thriving in Perch Lake during the 1997 lake survey, despite previous stockings of black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, and northern pike. With mild winters during recent years, there has been a turnabout in the lake's fishery. Bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, and northern pike catch rates were at historic highs in 2007 even though water quality does not appear to have improved significantly.

In 1990, Minnesota's Pollution Control Agency (PCA) completed a limited study of the water problem for the Perch Lake Association. Alum treatments, aeration, and reducing the watershed have each been discussed as possible partial solutions to the water quality problem in Perch Lake. It is clear that any solution will be expensive.

Few would deny that the lake's aesthetic character could be enhanced by reestablishing good water quality, although some enjoy the present lack of activity on the lake. The fish community has currently reverted to more of a bass/panfish fishery with fewer bullheads and perch. The potential of resuming trout management depends heavily upon the extent of future water quality improvements. Mild winters are not likely to last forever and winterkill will probably be a factor affecting the fish community in coming years.

What is the average air temp for Perch Lake?